NFL Free Agents 2014: Breaking Down Top Defensive Players Still Available

Defense wins championships. It may be one of the most overused cliches in sports, but as the Seattle Seahawks proved last season, there's also plenty of truth to it.

Yes, getting guys like Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas via the draft tends to help a little bit, but the 'Hawks' Super Bowl run was fueled by edge-rushers Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, who Seattle was able to nab the winter before.

Although many of the top names in 2014 are already off the board, there are still a number of playmakers capable of giving teams key boosts on the defensive side of the ball.

Let's take a look at the best available.

Henry Melton, DT

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Remember when Henry Melton was one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the league? Of course you do—it really wasn't that long ago.

Melton recorded 13 sacks with the Bears in 2011 and 2012, an impressive number for his position. Minnesota Vikings fullback Jerome Felton, who has faced the unenviable task of trying to protect his quarterback against the dominant pass-rushing defensive tackle, put it simply, via the St. Paul Pioneer Press' Chris Tomasson:

Jerome Felton on Henry Melton: "I’ve played against him in the NFC North with Detroit also and he’s a monster.’’

First of all, he tore his ACL in September, forcing him to miss the Bears' final 13 games in 2013, so teams are understandably taking it somewhat cautious.

Second, he's treating the NFL like a speed-dating service. According to the Chicago Tribune's Rich Campbell, Melton has already visited the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks. And the St. Louis Rams are next on tap, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jim Thomas:

The Bears' pass rush—and subsequently their defense—went down the drain when he was sidelined, and his upside as a player who can transform a defense is too much to pass up.

Jared Allen, DE

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Jared Allen has been a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks his entire career, and even during what was seen as an inconsistent, "down" year for him in 2013, he still managed to wrangle 11.5 sacks.

He now has 128.5 for his career and 14.0 per season since joining the Vikings in 2008. Plus, he tends to rock an awesome mullet, so he has that going for him.

Who will Jared Allen sign with?

SeattleDallasSomeone elseHe won't sign with anyoneSubmit Votevote to see results

Who will Jared Allen sign with?

Seattle

30.0%

Dallas

21.3%

Someone else

41.3%

He won't sign with anyone

7.5%

Total votes: 80

Still, there are concerns. He turns 32 in April, and Pro Football Focus gave him a negative grade this past season, suggesting a significant decline.

Let's not kid ourselves here, though. If Allen, who played the third-most snaps of any defensive linemen last year according to PFF, is converted into a rotational edge-rusher who has his snaps limited and is simply inserted on passing downs, he has the potential to cause havoc in the backfield.

In 2012, Antonio Cromartie looked like one of the best cover cornerbacks in the league. In 2013, he was continually burned and saw a significant drop-off in his quality of play.

However, the 29-year-old played through an injured hip for much of the season, causing many, such as Football Outsiders' Scott Kacsmar, to wonder if that was the true reason for his underwhelming play:

How hurt was Antonio Cromartie playing last year? He allowed at least 9 completions of 40+ yards.

If that proves to be true, and a healthy Cromartie is able to return to his 2012 form, then he could prove to be a major free-agent steal, especially because interest appears to be thin and he's likely to come at a bargain.